[Closed] Is a single chainring the way forward for general trail riding?

depends on the hills where you live.

Depends how fit you are. For me- granny gear is essential 22/36 bash FTW.

Spin away from 2.5 mph to 25 mph. that'll do me

Wot TJ says.

For many 1 x 10 will look awesome and be cool, but the IT middle managers & keyboard warriors will need a granny gear to puff up the trail centres, presuming they ride out of the car parks.

Real riders will still be on single speeds.

Triple for me still thanks (3x9), although tempted to go 2x10 soonish once may drivetrain wears out.

Suits the flatish terrain that surrounds me. still don't like the idea of losing the big ring though, I like to pedal down as well as up.

What's the biggest range cassette you can get now? 11-36? If you want to ride everything without compromise, I don't think it offers you quite enough range.

Real riders will still be on single speeds. ❓
Gears rule (specially the granny on steep climbs) From a IT keyboard warrior riding real trails darn sarf

I find 1x10 with a 36T cassette to be a wonderful thing, but it's not for everyone. Most will still need the versatility of a triple.

I have 1x9 on both of my bikes with 33T or 34T ring and an 11T-32T cassette. Lakes, Stanes (mostly GT and Inners) and local trails - don't miss either of the other rings.

That said, it doesn't matter one bit what the fashion is or what "everyone else" is riding. Try a 2x9 or 1x9 set-up (try just not using the big ring and/or granny for a while) and see how you get on.

I've been running 1x9 for 3 years now, mostly 11-34x32 though did 11-34x34 for a bit. It's fine for the peaks, got me up most of snowdon (bar the steepest bits) and everything In between and that's always been on 32-38lb bikes too.

Just gone 1x10 11-36x33 and it's just another click really. Its always suited me down to the ground.

"Real riders will still be on single speeds"
Wow, i didn't know that, i'll have to let my daughters (7&9yrs) know. 🙄

I have 2x9 on my FS and have not missed the big ring. It's tempting to try 1x9 as I reckon I could manage most of the climbs. But not all climbs and definitely not when I'm already tired. And a shock lockout would probably be desired too, to make honking feel effective.

I ran 36x 11-36(ish I think)for a couple of years on my heckler. Was good until a big hill came up. Moving to the lakes pritty much sent me back to 2x9, then night rides round here got me back to 3x9 just to keep up on the tarmac sections.

Back to the original question 1x9 is fine you might need to carry more magic links though

What I am not sure I get is why people running 1x9 or even now 1x10, use anything other than a 32t front ring. Seriously can't imagine anyone being under geared on 11t back 32t front unless they're on a road or fire road.

Best set up is a single front and rear 🙂

I'm just building up a 1x9 rigid but there's no way I could ride what I do with a single ring, I'd have to gear it too low at the front. Fitness and route choice as ever, I'm sure some people could do the exact same riding that way or even singlespeed but not a chance for me.

well im 1x9 soon to be 1x10 on a 29er. seeing as ive a normal 3 ring crankset i have choice. 1x for local and drop a small ring on for long days out in the big hills, even got the big ring if needed.

I'm gonna try 1x10 next season for racing, probably a 34 with 11-36, I reckon that'll be low enough. We shall see!

1x7 enough gears and flexibility & shit don't wear out. End

7 speed shit do wear out yo, and you can't get decent bits, and the ratios is whack, 10 speed is the shiz. Innit.

Northwind - you rode up puke hill at a fair old speed a couple of weeks ago. Not able to do that in the middle ring?

Myself I use 22 chainring with gears 1 to 6 on hills, 36 middle ring with all nine elsewhere. I use the granny gear like a low ratio box. Change down early and have loads of gears left. I do like to sit and spin my way up hills tho. Getting a bit out of puff -change down another gear!

I could climb more of the hills in a higher gear but I just don't like the low cadence.

My knees would explode without being out to spin.

11-32-32 here 8 speed. can climb anything with it.

TandemJeremy - Member

"Northwind - you rode up puke hill at a fair old speed a couple of weeks ago. Not able to do that in the middle ring?"

I was probably spinning semi-fast in a low gear. I can do steep climbs in the middle for a while but over distance- main climb on glentress black frinstance, or your average scottish mountain, or every single bloody "undulatition" while in France- I blow up, I need the lower gears to keep a sustainable rhythm. I'll hopefully have the rigid built up soon so I'll see how I get on with that on the wednesday rides. Badly I suspect!

Oh dear - come and live in Devon - Double set-up at the very least I would say is vital!!

Three_Fish - how do you find 1x9 at the place we cant talk about 😉

im thinking of going down to 11-32 with a 32T front but HP sauce climb may be my only tricky bit.

Given what I can ride up on the singlespeed I'd have thought 1x9 was pretty sensible.

Oh dear - come and live in Devon - Double set-up at the very least I would say is vital!!

I've been running a 2x9 (11-32 cassette, 22/36 chainrings)for ages now, don't miss the big ring one bit, can still do my bit at the front on the road back from the pub. Still considering a 1x10 setup though. I'll be interested to see how recent developments work out, going down as far as 10t or 9t on the cassette could really be the solution.

im thinking of going down to 11-32 with a 32T front but HP sauce climb may be my only tricky bit.

The rooty path climb up to HP Sauce or actually riding up HP Sauce (great climb!)? No bother on the rooty path, but on HP I have to push up what would be the last rocky section just before the log drop at the end - everything else is rideable. I think I was on the SX Trail when we rode the rooty path in the summer, so it was a 33T front ring. I definitely used the 32T on the cassette, but it wasn't too much effort. A little competition from Matt probably got me up quicker than I'd usually do it!

There is one technical climb, about 10m long, on the way up to the cairn from the end of the valley, that I just can't do on any bike. I find myself wondering if I could do it on a granny ring, but I'm happy to just persevere. There's a climbable line up it, I'm sure, and even if it means mixing some trials-type maneuvers in I'll bloody well get it one day...

R.lepecha - Member

11-32-32 here 8 speed. can climb anything with it.

Yeah right.

Anyone know if a the new 10spd 36t XT cassette will work with an older style 9spd rear mech ? Running a 34t 9spd at the moment & there's not much clearance when the chain is on the 34t cog.

Yeah right.

some people can do just fine up anything on anything TJ.

Indeed. I've seen sharki breeze up stuff in 32:16 that I'm huffing and puffing up in the granny.

NO!

Often when you are in the granny ring you would be quicker getting of and pushing, it's just stubborness that keeps you going. One of the good things about the ss is that when I do have to get off, it's nice and light to push up.

PeteG55 - Member
going down as far as 10t or 9t on the cassette could really be the solution.

that'll be that new Hope cassette/hub thing then.

[i]Anything[/i] tho?

If you're a fit bugger then 1x10 would be great. Some of my mates have big heavy bikes with 1x9 and they do fine. I've got a 36/22 set up up front and that's pretty much ideal for a fat old slow bloke like me.

I'd be happy pushing a 1x10 (say 34, 11-36) for an hour or 2 but if it was 3-6 hour ride I'd really be wanting my granny!

I'll stick with what I've got thanks.

I have a 3x9 on my P7 but I very very rarely use the big ring and only occasionally use the granny (unless its really steep and can be bothered to spin up it rahter than push). I am tempted (now my rear cassette has worn) to change to 1x10. Its a bit of an outlay but I think it might be a wise move.

I've found that since riding a singlespeed road bike in a hard gear for "training" I can get up most hills in 1x9 now. This is yet to be tested somewhere with huge climbs, just stuff like Cannock and local roads (used to struggle up them in the granny ring), but I'm off to the Long Mynd next weekend, gonna try and stay in the 32t ring. I almost made it in 1x9 last time, just wasnt fit enough then. Tbh for trail centres like Cannock I think using the granny ring just makes more of a meal out of climbs as you can get up a lot quicker and easier in the normal ring.

The only annoying thing with 1x9 is that you need to get a decent chain guide if you ride anything remotely bumpy.

Whyo

One of the good things about the ss is that when I do have to get off, it's nice and light to push up.

My rigid SS weighs 23.5lbs so is only slightly lighter than my lightest full-suss and heavier than my lightest HT.

My SS is nothing fancy but I suspect it's probably fairly typical weight wise - slot dropout Inbred with RC31's - unless you're really into SS and have spent a bit of cash.

When I started riding off road, my bike had a 48/38/28 - 14-28t combination. Giving me a lowest ratio of 1:1. Granted, I mainly ride in the pancake-flat Sarf, but I find that a 32-32/34t combination gives me that same 1:1 or very slightly lower, which is fine. The only time I've used a granny ring in recent years was on the Great Orme in North Wales a few weeks ago, climbing a very steep section that quite frankly is easier to push up. I only did it to prove I could. Plus I had an audience egging me on! I din't use it the entire rest of the time I was there. Din't need it. Nowt steep enough to require it. My granny ring is 9 years old and shows hardly any wear. I've worn out 3 sets of outer and middle in the same time.

With a granny ring, it's only the last three sprockets that give you lower gears than the middle ring any way. And quite frankly, as I said, it's often just easier to get off and push up rather than slog up in silly low gears. For very short steep sections, use your momentum to get you up, or just MTFU and put some effort into it FFS you wimps! 😀

The granny ring is to give less experienced/weaker riders/feeble people like TJ the option to be able to continue pedalling.

My ss is a lot lighter than my 456. Probably with the singlespeed I get off before i'm totally ****ed but if you are spinning in the granny ring and have to get off it's because you are totally ****ed. I do use my granny ring on the 456 but I'd get by without it.

You'd need to convince me. I'm happy with 3X9. With 2X10 I'd loose a light alloy ring and possibly gain a heavier cassette?
With 1X9 or 10 I'd loose the weight of two rings and a front mech.
Then there's the range I'd loose. For XC racing, middle and outer and three out back. For that killer climb at the end of a five hour ride I'd want the granny. And for things like HONC and other off road sportives the whole lot.
Singlespeeds another thing altogether, but why just have 9/10 gears when you could have 27 what's the gain to be had in having less?